Hay Barn
by Tess 4 5
Summary: In the Yorkshire Dales sometimes the weather changes from Dale to Dale. And if you take the wrong way in the wrong car you'll end up in the wrong place somewhere on the outskirts of nowhere. I told you so. M-rated for reasons. New story.
1. The wrong way

**Author's notes:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC.

I have borrowed the characters and solely own the ideas and the developments I've let them go through.

Please let me know if I did something terribly wrong (rating, grammar, spelling...). Thanks!

Reviews and comments are very welcome!

* * *

In the Yorkshire Dales sometimes the weather changes from Dale to Dale. And if you take the wrong way in the wrong car you'll end up in the wrong place somewhere on the outskirts of nowhere. I told you so. M-rated for reasons. New story.

This is no sequel to the Emerald-Series. I've just had another idea put down in words. Later the plot bunnies came around...

* * *

**The wrong way**

* * *

.

* * *

"This is _not_ the way to the Wensleydale, Sir." she simply stated without looking up.

"Havers, _I_ do the driving in your ridiculously small car so that _you_ could stick your nose into that file." he smiled. "We've missed something and you should find it. And this _is_ the road to Hawes."

DS Barbara Havers looked up and straight over to her DI. She wiped away the quick thought about how good his profile looks. They had been driving like this for years now, usually in his car, and she had been familiarised with this view from the passenger seat while DI Thomas Lynley drove her around to some crime scene or suspect or witness or _wherever_ he would like to drive her. She probably would let him drive her everywhere. She also wiped _this _thought away.

"Believe me, Sir, this _is_ the wrong way. We should've taken the next exit. You'd better turn or it's goin' to be very late when we arrive at our HQ. I'm just suggestin'. It was _me_ drivin' 'round here for the past week, y'know..."

"And I've been here before, Havers, I know this road." his voice was strong and accepted no objection.

"Whatever..." Havers sighed, shrugged and continued to read. _Whatever you wish, your Lordship, but it's going to be a long detour._ she thought. She had been here for a week while Lynley was assigned to a different case in London. Their Chief Super just wanted to try to partner them with other colleagues but it surely did not work. Lynley came here yesterday evening while DI Peters was sent back home. A circumstance Havers was very glad about.

Today Lynley and Havers had made a visit to a witness who turned into a suspect after what he had said, or better what he had _not_ said. Now they were on their way back to their so called HQ, a small satellite police station in Hawes, to go over their notes once again.

* * *

The road up the hill was narrow and steep, stonewalls flanked it, runnels crossed it from time to time. After a while they passed a cattle grid and the stonewalls ended there. The road and the surrounding meadows were now relatively flat. They drove through a really beautiful landscape on the hills of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Wide, rough grey scars and smooth green mounds, sheep, silence, wind. If only the sky would not be so deeply darkened by now.

Havers had come to learn that the weather could be totally different from one Dale to the other. They've left the Swaledale in pure sunshine but up here the clouds were hanging low and it had started to drizzle.

"What a nasty weather."

"It's late September, Havers, we could have snow by now. At least up here."

"Don't prophesy doom, Sir, it already _did_ snow two days ago."

"But it's too warm today." he tried to reassure her.

"Sir, we still could turn 'n' take the other road. This car is no mountain goat 'n' we should better drive on a bigger road."

"If you would have insisted on an ATV..."

"...which Peters now is drivin' through the certainly very rough streets of London. Yes, thank you, Sir." she rolled her eyes. "If you would not have been drivin' here with your shiny old car..."

"I also have a Land Rover..."

"...at Howenstow. Yeah, great. Just try to get a signal, phone the RAF 'n' get it delivered here by helicopter..." she snorted. "Sir."

Lynley raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

* * *

For some few minutes they drove on in silence. It was now really dark for that time of day and then the drizzle had turned into snow which melted into a nasty slush as soon as it hit the road surface.

"There you are..." Havers muttered. Lynley clenched his teeth and kept his attention on the slippery road.

For sure, the inevitable happened.

Unseen around the next corner a little landslide had covered half of the asphalt. Lynley jerked the car to the side, swore and jerked back because one of the sheep had turned to jump into the wing. The tyres bounced over some stones, a nasty bang was heard and the car skid nearly uncontrollable off the street and across some heather fields where it was finally stopped by a big rock bumping into its side.

"Ouch!" Havers huffed.

"Damn!" A clearly audible hiss accompanied Lynley's curse. "Are you okay, Havers?"

"Yes, Sir, you?" The papers she had held were spread all across the footwell.

"Everything just fine." he answered with dry sarcasm.

"What's that hiss?" she asked.

With another curse Lynley presumed it was one of the front tyres. After sorting out if there was a raincoat or an umbrella in her car - which was not - he got out and overlooked the mess. One of the back tyres was in a nasty right angle to the car, the right front tyre was flat, the left front tyre hissed his air out into the cold Yorkshire landscape and the rock had made a nasty bump into the left door, making it impossible to open. Through the side window Lynley saw that Havers actually was not totally okay. A small trickle of blood came off her hair and left a trace across her temple. He rushed over to the driver side to get into the car again.

"Barbara, you're bleeding!" he said concerned.

"Am I? Oh, I think it's nothin', Sir, I'm still conscious, huh? I've just slightly hit the doorframe."

"Let me have a look at it, Barbara, no objections."

With a sigh she turned her head and he bent over very close to have a better look at the small wound in her hair. It really was harmless and almost not bleeding anymore.

"You don't need to..." But he already wiped away the blood with his elegant handkerchief.

Without shifting away Lynley asked if she really was okay or if she would feel any pain or dizziness or tremble or...

"Sir, could you please stop motherin'?" Barbara cleared her throat. She felt that she might yet still get dizzy with his scent in her nose if he would not shift back off. He had been coming closer in the last year every now and then. Or maybe it was just that Barbara could not ignore the fact anymore that she very much liked him being so close to her.

"I am ok, Sir." she said insistently. "Now what about the car? I understand there's a rock outside my door?"

"Yes." Lynley slumped back into the driver seat. "A back tyre is square angled, one front tyre is flat, the other front tyre is running flat. Do you have _three _spare tyres?" He tried to joke.

Barbara closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the headrest. "I don't even have _one_, Sir."

Lynley let his head bump onto the steering wheel. "Please tell me that you're joking, Havers."

* * *

After some silent moments in which both dwelled in their own thoughts he fished for his mobile.

"No signal." he angrily grunted. Not that he had expected one.

There was no signal on Barbara's either.

"Bloody hell!" she cursed.

Some more silent moments later Lynley straightened his shoulders.

"What options do we have? Obviously this _is_ the wrong road and please don't you dare telling me you told me so though I have to admit you did."

Barbara could not suppress a little grin which made him smile too though he also was a little bit angry about himself.

"And don't grin it either, Barbara."

"Well, Sir, we could get out into that snowy cold 'n' muddy darkness and walk back."

"First: once more and because we are stranded here, could you please bring yourself to calling me Tommy? And second: I won't get out there for a walk. We've been driving for about an hour or so and I won't risk a pneumonia while walking back. What about we wait here until someone's driving by?"

"This won't happen, Sir."

"Tommy."

"Sir." Barbara looked at her feet. She could not call him Tommy. _This would be _too_ close._

Tommy sighed. He would never understand her concerns. _But that wouldn't solve our actual little problem either._

They decided to wait until at least the snow and drizzle would stop and then walk back. Just in case there would be a car driving by he turned on the emergency blinkers.

"Not that they think we're just snogging." he laughed nervously. _Not that I wouldn't like to._

"Don't be ridiculous, Sir." she answered. _You'd never snog with me anyway._

She kept her eyes away from him and did not notice the pensive glare he gave her. Slowly the windows fogged. Barbara had collected the papers and both continued to read in the light of the little interior lamps. After a while neither of them had spoken Tommy turned on the engine.

"Try to drive?" Barbara ironically chuckled.

"No, just heating up. You've started to shiver. You don't have a blanket in here by chance?"

"Actually I have three in the boot, Sir. But one is dirty."

Mumbling that she could have said something earlier he got off the car again and collected the blankets from the boot.

"There is a hay barn some yards away. I suggest I'd go and look if it's unlocked and if there's hay in it. This car has a lousy heating and hay and blankets would be much more comfortable."

* * *

.

* * *

...


	2. You told me so

**You told me so**

* * *

.

* * *

Barbara glanced at her watch. The darkness was not only from the clouds. The afternoon had turned into evening and soon it would be totally dark and nobody had come by.

A rumble was heard. For a second Tommy thought it would be a thunder but then realised it was Barbara's stomach making that noise.

"When did you last eat?"

"Breakfast. I've some apples 'n' a ready made sandwich on the back seat." She looked over. "Well, or rather somewhere there."

She climbed between the front seats to search in the rear footwell and by doing so she presented her back to Tommy.

_What a lovely sight._ he thought. _And she is absolutely not aware of what she is doing. And now get your eyes and mind elsewhere, Tommy._

He swallowed and fidgeted with his mobile until Barbara involuntarily bumped her bottom into his shoulder.

"Now, you have a nice rear, Barbara, you know that? Do you need a hand?" _A pun!_ "Errrm, on your search, I mean, not... umm... sorry, Havers, forget it."

Barbara blushed but had to chuckle nonetheless. She was stuck between the front seats with her head on the rear bench and her arms in the rear footwell fishing for the apples and chuckled. The more she chuckled the more she got stuck and the more she got stuck the more she had to laugh until she started to laugh uncontrollable.

Now Tommy could not help but also laugh. "That might be funny but I don't think it is _that_ ridiculous, Havers. And it's not very helpful. Please stop laughing."

When she did not stop he gave her a light smack on her bottom, amazed instantly about his own boldness. "Couldn't resist, Ma'am, sorry, and I'll take the official reprimand." he grinned. _And it was worth it._

The smack stopped Barbara's laughing fit in an instant. She finally managed to grab the sandwiches and the apples and with a deep red face, partly from laughing and partly from embarrassment, she returned into the front seat.

"Have dinner first or straight go checkin' the hay barn?" she asked ignoring the incident.

"Hay barn first. If there's dry hay it would be much more comfortable than those seats. We can have dinner there. I'll be right back or wave you over."

Lynley took the dirty blanket and a torch light from the glovebox, opened his door and ran to the barn with the blanket held over his head.

Barbara tried to cool down. There was something going on in her belly that should not. They had always bantered and teased each other but there never had been more physical contact than a squeeze on her shoulders. Now this...

_Get yourself composed, Barbara,_ she scolded herself. _Friends playfully _do_ this. Don't put anythin' in it. Just don't!_

When Lynley whistled and waved her over she collected the other blankets, her bag with the files and the food and luckily a bottle of mineral water and rushed over. She had left a note behind the windscreen saying that they had an accident and now were waiting in the hay barn.

She dearly hoped that somebody would drive by before the night came.

* * *

It was noticeable warmer in there but very dark. They had to close the door for keeping the warmth inside.

Lynley had already started to prepare a flat place in the hay and now he spread one of the clean blankets over it. The torchlight was placed on an old and half rotten crate. The other two blankets they wrapped around their freezing bodies. Lynley sat down.

"I've always wanted to have a picnic with you." he grinned.

"Not funny, Sir." Havers also sat down and propped herself against the crate.

"Tommy. For heaven's sake, call me Tommy." In the darkness she could not see it but she literally felt him roll his eyes.

"Yes, Sir."

They shared the sandwich and ate an apple each. In her bag she found a chocolate bar which they shared for dessert.

In the light of the torch they discussed their current case while eating. Eventually they went silent and Tommy laid down. His mind drifted back to his youth when he had spent romantic hours in a hay barn like this. To clear his mind for it was his colleague sharing the hay barn at the moment he forced himself back to some younger days. He suddenly got up.

"You know what I did when I was young?" He started to climb up the ladder to a beam and balanced there.

She looked up to him. "Breakin' your legs?"

"Oh, keep still, Barbara. No, I jumped." He jumped. "Still so much fun!"

He kept lying in the hay for a few moments joyfully laughing.

"I haven't done this for aeons. Come on, Barbara, try it." He pulled at her hand. "At least once. I believe you never did it."

"Actually we don't have had many hay barns in Acton, Sir." she clammed up but Tommy ignored it this time.

"Yes, I know, all the more you should _please_ do me the favour and do one jump with me." he climbed up again and stood balancing on the beam, crooking his finger to wile her up with a grin.

Finally Barbara gave in and followed up the ladder, balancing towards him. "That's totally silly 'n' we should know better, Sir. If we both break our bones than we'll rot here until it's spri - AAAAH!"

Tommy had put his arm around her waist and pulled her with him. They landed in the soft hay and laughed, cheerily sorting their limbs.

"You're right, Tommy, this _is_ fun!" she grinned while she untangled her leg from his. "But honestly, I am not goin' to repeat it. I don't want to end with broken bones."

"That's why adults don't do that anymore." Tommy sighed. "I'll never tell anybody if you promise me you won't tell it either. I believe this would discredit me and damage my reputation. And yours."

For a while they kept lying in the hay. It smelled wonderfully warm and earthy. Barbara closed her eyes for a second, inhaling hay and Lynley but the flash of a dangerous thought made her open them again. She quickly got up and went back to their "picnic".

* * *

"I was tryin' to avoid that topic, but it doesn't look like we're goin' to leave here until tomorrow so we should make ourselves at home." she said. "And no more hay-jump adventures. It's about seven 'n' pitch dark by now. I suggest we try to get some sleep."

Tommy agreed so they made a big nest in the middle of the hay, put one blanket on it and decided to use the other two blankets on top.

Fully dressed with their coats and two blankets for cover they lay there. It truly was warmer than in the car. A heavy wind got up outside and howled through the holes in the walls.

_It could have been cosy - if there were a fireplace and a kettle to put on._ Tommy thought. He sighed.

"Good night, Barbara."

" 'night, Sir."

"Tommy."

"Yes, Sir."

Tommy moaned in annoyance and switched off the torch.

For a while they just listened to the wind.

"I'm sorry, Barbara," Tommy whispered. "I just should have heeded your advice. It _was_ the wrong road. And yes, you told me so. Sorry."

"Apology accepted, but you're gonna pay it back, Sir. I think a proper dinner will do." Barbara whispered back with a grin. "And now please let me try to get some sleep."

She yawned and put all romantic thoughts about a night in a hay barn spent with her DI back into the deepest corner of her mind, allowing sleep to come.

* * *

.

* * *

...


	3. It's so cold

**It's so cold  
**

* * *

...

* * *

She felt his hands gently roaming her body. They laid on a blanket and were cuddling close. Underneath them she felt and heard, or - being distracted like she was at the moment - rather imagined in a distance, the gravel of a beach in the sunset. The man in her arms smelled of earth, wet hair and spice. His body was very close to her, still it was getting colder the lower she thought that the sun went. She could not see it for she had her eyes closed and just felt him, his presence, his leg between hers, his arms around her waist, his hands in her back. She deeply inhaled his scent and savoured every moment.

Finally she had given up her resistance and was very pleased with the situation they were now in.

_Hmmm,_ she thought drifting off to sleep. _I should've done this a long time ago._

He felt her body slightly shivering under his hands. With closed eyes he imagined her body. He shamelessly thought of making love to her on the soft ground they were lying on.

_Finally my dreams came true._ he sleepily thought. _If I just would have let this happen earlier._

When it was still getting colder they shifted even closer to each other - noses touched chins, ears brushed jawlines, foreheads grazed, hair tickled in necks, breaths susurrated across sensitive skin, lips brushed cheeks in search of their counterpart.

_Oh, this dream feels so unbelievably real._ he thought relaxed.

"It's so cold." she breathed. He could feel her words on his lips.

With a jolt she was fully awake and stared into two wide open eyes looking back at her flustered, mirroring her own.

The darkness around them was only lit by some moonlight falling through the window openings above them. It seemed that the clouds were blown away from the still howling wind, making it colder as before.

Finally reality sunk in.

Barbara and Tommy laid on a blanket in a nest in a hay barn in the middle of nowhere in the Yorkshire Dales. It was freezingly cold and in their sleep they had cuddled close to stay warm. Her arms were wound around his waist and he had put one arm around her shoulder. She had put one leg around his and his knee was between hers. Their bodies were pressed into each other tightly.

Their faces were an inch apart and both were staring into the other one's eyes which were merely visible by reflected moonshine.

Her words had made them wake up fully from their half-asleep dreamy state.

For seconds they just stared in shock and did not move.

She held her breath. _What...?!_

Both had to put their thoughts back in gear.

Barbara blinked and Tommy suddenly closed the distance. He let his lips linger on hers for a while. They were soft and she did not repel.

When he released her lips she breathed heavily, her eyes stared unbelievingly into his.

_I should've done this a long time ago._ he thought.

"I..." she whispered before his lips melted back on hers and kissed her again.

* * *

At first he just pressed his lips softly but firmly against hers but then without really thinking about it she started to respond. She had never imagined his kiss would be feeling so enormously good. Both had closed their eyes again. Barbara had surrendered to her deepest feelings. Tommy had abandoned himself to a wave of emotions.

They shared what seemed a thousand tender kisses, feeling each other's breath on their faces, their arms and legs were still entangled.

Eventually the kisses started to linger and became more intense. Barbara had given up all daylight's rational restraint. She tilted her head to one side and his nose rubbed against hers. Gently he nagged on her bottom lip which made her open her mouth. When she tightened her grip around his body Tommy put his hand in the back of her head. She softly sighed into his mouth savouring the lovely fluttering tingle in her abdomen. Then the tip of his tongue met hers tenderly.

His hip pressed against hers while she eagerly gave him full access to her mouth. Her tongue gently circled his and they breathed through the nose and the corners of their mouths for they did not want to break the kiss. He tickled her palate when she played her tongue around his lower teeth.

It was a slow but hot and passionate kiss they shared. All longing from past years, all desire hidden for too long surfaced. In need of still more contact she pressed her soft breasts onto his muscular chest. When his hand fumbled its way under her parka and went under her sweatshirt to find her T-shirt tucked tightly into her jeans their minds started to come back into the cold hay barn. With still closed eyes they shared a few more gentle kisses.

* * *

Then they just laid there staring into each others eyes, both heavily out of breath.

"What...?" she started, not believing what just had happened to them.

"I should've done this a long time ago." he softly said and gave her another kiss. "And I'll gladly take the official reprimand, Ma'am."

He traced his fingertips across her cheek and his thumb graced her lips.

"You don't have to." Barbara whispered croaky. She never would denounce her DI for finally doing what she had wanted for so many years and had not dared to think would _ever_ happen. Not even something close to this.

They kept on lying there just hearing each other's heartbeats. Despite their hot interaction it was still freezingly cold so after a short while Barbara broke the spell of the moment.

"It really _is_ cold, Sir, we..."

"Tommy."

"We should better rearrange the blankets 'n' have another kip." she continued smiling and added a very gentle "Sir."

"I don't want to let go hold of you,..." He paused and smiled back at her. And then he added an equal gentle "Havers."

Closing their eyes they kept on kissing for another while.

_I wish it would go on forever. _Barbara thought._ Even if it's just for this single kiss, for this single night in a hay barn __I need to hold this dream as long as it lasts_. 

_I'd love to kiss her for the rest of the night and longer. _Tommy thought._ Oh, what have I been missing all those years?_

Reluctantly letting reason prevail they disentangled and put the blankets back around them properly, now spooning deliberately to keep the closeness and the warmth between them.

"Tomorrow we definitely will have a word, Barbara." his lips brushed her ear and it sent shivers down her back. She slightly arched into him when he pulled tenderly at her hips.

Both bodies unmistakably seemed to be wanting to have something very, _very_ different to a word.

She smiled already half asleep again. "We will." She took a deep breath. "Tommy."

* * *

.

* * *

...


	4. Wake up!

**Author's note: **Try to read the **-marked words aloud if you have difficulties understanding them. I tried to write it onomatopoetic. The transliteration of the broad Yorkshire accent can be found at the bottom of this story.

* * *

**Wake up!**

* * *

...

* * *

He laid flat on his back and felt her head on his shoulder and her hair tickling in his nose. She smelled of wood, hay and her special lemon and white rose soap. The blanket around them kept the heat that radiated between them. He had his eyes closed and just felt her, her presence, her leg bent across his knee, her hand hovering gently across his still coatclad belly. He deeply inhaled her scent and savoured every moment.

Finally her hand was very close to dangerous terrain and he was very pleased with the situation they were now in though he could tell from her regular breathing that she still was somewhat sleeping.

_Hmmm,_ he thought drifting back to sleep himself. _She needs some more sleep after this horribly cold night but she should've done this some hours ago._

She felt his body slightly stiffen under her hands.

_I hope that I'm not dreamin'._ she sleepily thought and moved her hand up to safer regions on his chest.

_If it just would've been warmer we would have... Oh, better not - we'd be in deep trouble now._

When it was getting brighter outside her closed eyes, telling her that the day had long begun, she cuddled even closer to him to prolong this mindless dreamy state she was in and encouraged by this he tightened his grip around her shoulder.

_This dream feels so bloody real._ she thought relaxed.

_Oh, it's so pleasant to have her this near._ he thought at ease and decided to turn to her to intensify their nearness.

* * *

HOOOOOT! HOOOOOT! HOOOOOT!

Both jolted up.

Lynley was the first recovering clear thoughts.

"Someone's out there!" he jumped and ran out of the hay barn. A car stood on the road and a farmer came his way.

"Hello, Sir!" Lynley shouted. "We're in trouble!"

**"Ah see! Snawgin' in th'hay, huh?!" the farmer answered in broad Yorkshire accent when Barbara appeared behind Tommy.

"No, Sir, we had an accident. DI Lynley." He offered a greeting hand, then introduced Barbara. "This is DS Havers. Short story, Sir: wrong road, wrong car, a landslide and a sheep. Nobody's harmed but the car is broken. I'm so glad you came around. Could you please help us get a breakdown service?"

**"Ah cewd! Sure!" the farmer grinned smugly, not really convinced of the innocence of the situation. It was not really helpful that Barbara blushed to the roots of her hair, knowing that the situation actually was not _totally_ innocent.

With his radio the farmer called the requested breakdown service and informed the Central Dales Practice in Hawes.

**"Ah be commin' rawnd in'n hour on me why back. Jus' to mike sure ye be fownd, huh?!" Then the farmer drove on to his own businesses.

While they waited for the requested help Barbara and Tommy collected their belongings in the hay barn.

Before they stepped out again Tommy stopped her. "Wait, Barbara!"

Slowly she turned to him. _Shit! Now he will regret this all!_ she feared.

He smiled down at her and nearly threw away the stuff he carried just to drag her into his arms again and kiss away her fearful look.

"We will have a word, won't we." he asked, a little fearful himself. "This won't stay a single occurrence...?!"

Barbara nodded happily. She very much agreed with her DI. "Yes, Sir."

His eyes were so gently displaying his concerns about her. "How are you feeling?"

"Despite the fact that I have a bit of a headache from the bump and I'm chilled to the bones? Extremely good." She beamed up to him. " 'n you?"

"Likewise. Without the headache that is."

Then Tommy lowered his face to her but stopped some inches above her face. He needed her to react, to let her get him to know, to let her make him feel that he did not wrong. As he had hoped for she closed the distance and slowly kissed him on his lips.

"It will need some long... talking, Sir." she smiled. _Oh, hell, I'm deeper in trouble than I thought. This actually feels too good. It can't be true._

"I'm going to... errm... _discuss_ it in detail." he grinned back. "And for heaven's sake, it's Tommy."

"Yes, Sir." she laughed, turned and stepped through the door.

* * *

In Hawes Barbara was dropped off at the Central Dales Practice to be medically examined and Tommy drove on with the breakdown service. After leaving Barbara's damaged car in the garage and having the papers with it sorted Tommy saw an old Land Rover to be sold and without further ado he grabbed the chance.

He picked Barbara up and was relieved that her injury was just a little innocuous wound which had no need to be stitched and luckily no trauma and no brain concussion.

Tommy opened the passenger door for Barbara but she stopped her moves at the edge of the parking lot.

"What's _this_, Sir?"

"A Landie. We -"

"Where can one rent such an old 'n' rusty -"

"Nowhere. I've bought it." Tommy grinned.

"You what?!" Barbara snorted that he could have hired an ATV like _normal_ people do.

"There was none to hire, not even a normal car, and we needed -"

"That's a lie, Sir."

"It is, _...Havers_." Tommy rolled his eyes. "Well, but actually _you_ needed a new car after I've damaged yours. Here are the papers."

"Are you crazy, Sir?" Her voice got higher. She could not believe it. "You can't just buy _me_ a car!"

"Tommy. And no, I'm _not_ crazy. And I _can_ buy you a car. By the way, it was quite cheap."

Barbara looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. "Cheap. Sure. Oh, my... rich people..." she muttered. "You'll resell it when this is over. _Sir._"

Tommy just grinned and bowed when she passed him climbing the passenger seat.

* * *

They drove back to their so called HQ. A young Police Community Support Officer mostly dropped by for some hours and then sometimes was sent on errands. At the moment - it was lunchtime, which means a sandwich quickly eaten alongside - she was not there and Havers and Lynley had to deal with the paperwork on their own. The results from the previous day had to be written down in the computer which was - much to her loudly vented displeasure - Sergeant's task. The DI stood at the whiteboard and did the thinking, as he called it.

"I'm the brain and you're the body." he said with a cheeky grin that made Barbara blush.

Tommy wrote some details and drew some lines between names and pictures. While she clattered on the keys he looked like he was deep in thought about that missing link. He also pretended to brood over the map with the pins.

In reality he did not think much and if so it was mostly about the night in the hay barn. His mind was too tired to think straight on the case and he was fighting against sleep. Her yawnings told him that she felt similarly tired.

But they had to make up for an afternoon and a morning spent with their detour and they even had to show up at someone who should not see them in the disarranged state they were in. In the early afternoon after they stopped by at their cottage for a quick shower and a change of clothes (and a funny but awkward search for hay on their coats) they made a visit to the sister of the suspicious witness to affirm a part of his statement.

"He already called her." Lynley assumed afterwards. "We could have deferred this visit to another day. Or skipped it at all."

"Yeah, believe so." Havers was equally ennervated. "Fancy a cuppa?"

Lynley visibly relaxed. "You can never go wrong with tea."

* * *

.

* * *

...

* * *

**You might have been able to understand what the farmer said. Anyway, here is the transliteration:

"I see! Snogging in the hay, huh?!"

"I could! Sure!"

"I'll be coming around in an hour on my way back. Just to make sure you've been found, huh."


	5. Silence

**Silence**

* * *

...

* * *

Back again at their HQ at about five o'clock Barbara put on the kettle and conjured cookies out of a drawer while Tommy sent a fax to the Met. The Yard had to be informed about the details of the accident, the state of the car and not least about DS Havers' injuries.

For a short while they sat there silently sipping their tea and gazing at each other over the rims of their cups. Nearly throughout the entire day they only talked about the case and avoided to talk about _them_. Now it looked like they had nothing to express with words.

Finally Tommy broke the silence.

"I think I actually don't _want_ to talk."

Barbara's heart fell. _Here you are - it's over before it's really started. He finally regrets it.  
_

"You don't?" she asked flatly and diverted her eyes out of the window.

"No, at the moment it's so much nicer to remain silent with you." He took a sip and continued a little softer. "It's a strange but marvellous experience."

Barbara smiled out of the window. "Don't get used to it, Sir. I won't stop arguing."

He blinked. "I really think I could get used to our new ...silence. And there is no way to talk when we _kiss_. By the way, I prefer the latter."

"But Sir, we actually _do_ need to talk." she insisted and took a sip.

"Hmmm, yes. Later. Eventually." he smiled. "And it's Tommy."

Barbara finally looked his direction again and smiled back.

They remained silent for another little while, then Tommy got up and walked over to her desk.

"Well, that was the part with remaining silent." He took her cup, placed it on her desk and bowed down to Barbara. "Now I'd like to try again that part with kissing..."

When the at first just gentle kiss deepened and he put his hand in the back of her head she slowly stood up and took hold of his upper arm. Her other hand was splayed on his chest and started to crinkle his shirt.

Right in this moment the chime of the doorbell made them break apart quite breathless. PCSO Jordan Thwaite dropped by on her evening round in Hawes but did not realise what went on between the two, now that they stood on the opposite sides of the office. Or maybe she was just disregarding their heavy breathing, their glowing faces and their ruffled hair.

* * *

"Hello Sir! Barbara!" she greeted them in her normal cheery way. "Where've ye been yesterday? Ye've missed me scones Ah've brought."

She was very worried when Barbara told her of the accident and the night in the hay barn. But if she had frivolous thoughts about it she did not tell.

After arranging the next day's schedule with her Barbara and Tommy called it a day and went to the pub for some early fish'n'chips. They finally were too exhausted from the last two days and the short and cold night. The communication was narrowed down to very few words. Their usual pint was skipped and after dinner they quickly returned to their cottage.

On the silent way back Tommy simply took her hand. Barbara smiled but both kept their eyes ahead.

Passing a dark corner he bowed down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She turned her head and after one step he stole a kiss from her lips and after a few more steps he stole one more until Barbara stopped walking, wound her arms around his neck and gently forced him to _keep_ his lips on hers. She was slightly shocked about her brazenness but indeed felt very comfortable with it.

After a while they continued their walk home without a word. The silence between them was unfamiliar but not awkward. In fact both knew that there was something to talk about which would break this comfortable silent spell. Besides both were really, really tired.

Once inside the cottage Barbara yawned loudly.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm so tired. I think I'd better be goin' straight to sleep." she said, gave Tommy a very short goodnight kiss and hurried upstairs where she quickly disappeared in her room closing the door behind her. The talk would be stalled for now. And everything else what was on her confused mind.

_We both are totally exhausted and just need proper sleep.  
_

* * *

Tommy smiled to himself and went humming to his own room where he prepared for the night. There was nothing on his mind but Barbara. The way she smelled, the way she tasted, the way she felt last night in the hay barn, the way she forced him to kiss her properly when they stood in the dark corner.

He turned in his bed for quite some time and could not get to sleep.

At some point he decided that he would _never_ fall asleep without her near to him, no matter how tired he was, and so he got up again.

* * *

Barbara stared into the darkness with wide eyes just picturing her DI. The images in her mind were etched on her memory. She could still feel his arms around her, still had his scent in her nose, still felt his lips on hers. She thought she would never fall asleep with those memories of the night in the hay barn and the dark-alley-kissing running around in her head. She longed to snuggle in his arms again.

_I couldn't simply go over to his room. I'm so deep in trouble anyway. Where the hell will this lead?  
_

She had started to try to to think of some boring police routines to force herself into sleep when she heard a knock at her door. In an instant she was fully awake again.

"Hmmm?" she answered, pretending to be already half asleep, but Tommy already had let himself in her room, straightly climbed the bed behind her and slid under her duvet.

Thinking that this might actually be going a bit _too_ fast Barbara stiffened when he snuggled close and mumbled into her ear.

"I definitely won't fall asleep without you near me." he kissed the sensitive skin behind her earlobe. Her sharp intake of breath made him smile. "Never ever again, I suppose. Allow me some sleep, will you?"

"Just sleep!"

"I promise." He placed a kiss in her neck. "Good night, Barbara, sleep well."

She relaxed when he made no attempts to deepen this situation. At least both really were extremely tired.

" 'night, Sir." she whispered and snuggled back into his chest.

"Tommy."

"Yes, Sir."

After a very short while the lack of proper sleep and the strenuous day took its toll. Relaxed now being close again both finally surrendered to sleep.

* * *

.

* * *

...


	6. Good Morning!

**Author's note:** Now I think it's time for some of the reasons why this is M-rated...

* * *

**Good Morning!**

* * *

...

* * *

_This isn't a dream._

After a short period of waking up and realising it was _his_ real arm around her waist and _his_ real hand on her belly under her sleep top she jolted fully awake. Tommy's fingertips caressed her naked skin and his groin was firmly pressed into her bottom.

She was fully aware of his arousal between her bum cheeks pressing through the thin cloth of their sleep wear. It did not bother her - quite the opposite, she had to admit to herself.

_Oh my, I'm in trouble. I've just woke up and I already want him right now and it doesn't feel like I'd have to beg him. _Barbara thought, surprised at her suddenly discovered wantonness. _And he doesn't have to beg _me_ either!_

Tommy had started to move. He was not yet entirely awake and allowed himself the pleasure to dwell in the sleepy state, letting his morning glory press itself lustily onto her sleepwarm bottom.

However a small moan escaping Barbara's lips, caused by the friction of his movements, let him slip fully into the bright morning.

_This is all real._ he thought. _Oh, I'm in heaven. And she doesn't seem to be repellent. Quite the opposite, that's marvellous!  
_

He hummed contented.

" 'morning, Barbara!" he tenderly breathed into her ear and immediately caused her warm and fuzzy shivers.

" 'morn', Sir!" she answered low and without opening her eyes. Her sleepy husky voice sent an irritating warmth into his belly and made his heart jump.

"Have you slept well?" he asked gently. His deep masculine voice let her abdomen tickle expectantly.

She answered with a very contented "Mmmmmh..." and pressed her back into his chest. _Oh, where will this end?_

"How's your headache?" Tommy nibbled at her earlobe.

"What headache d'you mean, Sir?" Barbara could not concentrate to anything but his caresses.

"For heaven's sake, Barbara, call me Tommy!" he growled, not at all angry but very wolfish, and intensified the pressure of his groin. "We're between the sheets!"

His fingers grazed her skin and his breath tickled in her ear.

"Didn't you promise..." she teasingly croaked and began to move her hips. In fact she did not at all care anymore about the promise of the previous evening.

"...can't remember!" Tommy muttered. He had started to place little kisses onto her nape so she cocked her head forward to give him more access.

His hand clutched her waist and pulled her closer into his lap.

Their hips involuntarily started to roll in sync and suddenly both held their breaths in anticipation of what would follow.

"Turn!" he then ordered huskily.

* * *

BZZZZZZZZZZZZD! BZZZZZZZZZZZZD! BZZZZZZZZZZZZD!

"Damn it!" Tommy cursed. "To hell with this bloody...!"

His mobile buzzed when Barbara just had started to turn to him.

Thrown out of her dreamy and heated mood she slumped back on her pillow. Then her own mobile rang.

"Hold that thought." Tommy kissed her head. "I'll come back to that later."

He quickly got up and answered his phone grumbling and rubbing his face. "Yes?! Lynley!" He yawned distinctly and went to his own room, leaving all doors behind him open.

It was Hillier.

_"You sound sleepy, are you still in bed, Lynley?"_

"Yes, Sir, err... no! But I..."

_"It's nine o'clock! Get up _now_, you're not on holidays, Lynley! The reason I call is that I've received a fax saying you've had an accident. What's that all about?"_

"We've had, yes. It's..."

_"How's Havers?"_

"Fine, she just ..."

_"Good. I've made DC Nkata call her to ask details on that. I think they're on good terms and she'd tell him more than me, I think."_ Then Hillier pressed for some details about the case they were working on. He was not very pleased about how things were going with it.

_"And I do not appreciate at all that you still were sleeping, Lynley! It's after nine already and you've missed enough time with the accident."_

"Sir, actually we've spent a snowy and windy night in a haybarn. It was freezingly cold and I think I also speak for Havers that we both had too less sleep. So with all due respect, we've had all good reasons for this morning's sleep in. Sir."

_"Yeah, hm, I suppose it wasn't as romantic as hay barn sounds, huh?"_ Hillier laughed patronisingly. _"Well, just get up now and move yourselves. Oh, I wanted to announce Nkata. Tomorrow he brings you a new laptop computer with satellite connection so that you can get connected there in the Dales and on the hills without the need of a radio mast around. He also needs to teach you a new HOLMES-add-on. Something the IT made urgent. I spare you the details, Nkata is briefing Havers right now."_

* * *

Barbara also had answered her phone and turned onto her side again. She did not want to have to look at Lynley after that hot incident, especially not watch him leaving her bed after this terrible interruption.

"Havers." she mumbled and yawned loudly.

It was Nkata with the mission to ask about her health.

_"Barb, get up! Don't say, you're still in bed."_ he laughed. _"You sound sleepy. How are you? Hillier said you had an accident yesterday."_

"Just fine, Winnie, thanks." she yawned. "I've just a bump and a mini cut on my head. The doctors say it'll be fine. No blunt trauma, no concussion. But maybe a few more hours sleeping would be nice. The night in the hay barn -"

_"Whoohooo!"_ Nkata cheered.

"Oh, shut up, Winnie, it was bloody cold and windy and we didn't get much sleep." Winnie inhaled audibly to give a cheeky remark but was interrupted before he could say a word. "Oh, don't say it, Winnie. I'm too tired and not yet feelin' strong enough to give you proper back talk..."

Winston laughed and then announced himself for the next day for some technical supply mission, like he named it, appointing that he will call before he arrives.

* * *

The rest of the late begun day drowned in work right after a quick breakfast. That is to say that DI Lynley and DS Havers had the opportunity to ride her new car through the Nationalpark and they saw very much of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales' landscape. The case was turned up and down again when the former witness now suspect turned into a witness again when he finally admitted he just tried to cover up his affair. Their first main suspect was on the agenda again.

It turned out to be one of their usual case-days: driving around, interviewing people, visiting the crime scenes again, playing ping-pong with their ideas and thoughts on suspects and witnesses, eating lunch at a snack-bar in a hurry. They avoided talking about their personal state of mind and especially about what had happened this morning.

The only real private moments they shared during the day were a gentle look from Tommy and a shy blush from Barbara when they passed a couple that was kissing on a bridge, making Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and conjure a coy smile on Barbara's face while they were walking on.

There definitely was something intensely romantic smouldering between them - they _so_ had to talk...

* * *

.

* * *

...


	7. Talk

**Author's notes:** I know, I'm so bloody evil... *grin* ...sorry! ;-)

Thanks for all those reviews. Let's see how it goes on with their...

* * *

**...talk**

* * *

...

* * *

"We have to talk, Sir." Barbara walked in with two cups of coffee and two bacon and butter rolls she got from a nearby snack bar. It was about half past three and Tommy had just got up from his chair to continue his rumination in front of the white board.

"Yes, Havers?" he smiled and sat down again. _When will she finally stop calling me Sir?_ he mused.

She handed him one roll and one coffee and entrenched herself behind her own desk.

"Well, you know... about..." she did not know exactly how to say it and pointed from him to her and vice versa. "About us. That... err... change... in our... umm, well... relationship?"

Tommy watched her keeping her eyes on her shoes. He thought some moments before he answered.

"Do we really need to talk? Is it really a 'change' in our relationship? Isn't it just the next step?" He simply felt the need to take her in his arms and kiss her mind away. He definitively did not want to discuss this _happy progress_. "And in my opinion we have waited far too long and believe me I'm not willing to wait another seven years for stepping further. And I'm not going to talk this dry and dusty." _...rather wet and lusty. _he thought and chuckled._  
_

Barbara saw the aspiration in his eyes. A part of her would have loved to simply walk over to him and kiss him senseless, but the other part told her that they have to _discuss_ this first. Her heart agreed with Tommy. "But..."

Tommy grinned. "No 'but'. I'm not going back again. Not even one single step. And correct me if I'm wrong, but this morning you felt like you prefer progressing, too."

Barbara blushed. Indeed she had absolutely not thought about _talking_ this morning. She just had been following her heart.

_Or rather my gut._ She blushed even deeper. And something made her so very comfortable with this new situation, with this next step, this progress, that she mostly agreed with Tommy that much talking was not necessary. She took a sip from her coffee and hung on her thoughts. They seemed to be working the same way as ever and they did not use every opportunity to snog, hug or hold hands. Their unity had always been extraordinary and it was just enhanced with...

_...is it love?_

"I suggest we just let this happen." Tommy said. "And solve possible... well, difficulties... when they occur."

_Maybe it could work._ Barbara thought. "But what if -"

Tommy cut her off. "And no 'what ifs'! When they occur means I'm not willing to discuss eventualities in advance."

"You are not willing means that I have to agree with it?" Barbara was a bit upset.

"No, you don't have to." he admitted. "Alright, what... how do you feel about..." Tommy repeated her previous gesture with a gentle smile. "...us?"

Barbara thought just a second. "Good." With a smile she added "Very good, in fact. It feels like..."

"...it should have happened very much earlier?"

Barbara nodded. _Like the matching pieces of the puzzle that had _for years_ been lying next to each other and gathering dust simply needed a little pressure and now are easily clicking into place. Though I couldn't yet picture the image it creates... _She sighed._  
_

"And what do you want? More progress?" Tommy asked.

"Yes, but..." Barbara hesitated. She did not know exactly how to say what bothered her. "...there is so much difference, so much difficulty."

"I don't care about whatever difference, that much you should know me by now. And the only difficulty I see is how we could convince Hillier that we will work together as good and efficient as we've always did so that he won't split us ever again."

"Don't you think the previous week was an interesting experience?!"

"Not at all." Lynley screwed up his face. "DS Carter is a much less pretty sight than you. Not to mention his endless stupidity. It really wasn't easy."

"Maybe it's just that you're not an easy person?" Barbara laughed.

"I'm going to show you some of this easy person." Tommy grinningly stood and went over to Barbara who placed her coffee on the table. He bent down to her and was going to kiss her.

His intention was interrupted by the sweet chime of the doorbell. Lynley turned on his heel and muttered an ugly curse.

They both nearly had forgotten that they had asked a dalesman to come around and make his statement.

Right now he made his appearance and threw them back into their current case. He highly incriminated the former main suspect and told of two new witnesses who then were scheduled for tomorrow to be visited. Lynley and Havers could be solving the case tomorrow.

* * *

"Fancy a pint, Sir? And dinner?" She sighed. After she hit the enter-key for the last time about an hour later Barbara only wanted something to eat and a pint of beer.

"On one condition, Havers."

"Which is?"

"You call me Tommy and let me pay."

"That's two."

"What?"

"That's two conditions." she stated and grinned broadly. "Sir."

"Tommy." He rolled his eyes.

"You pay!" She shut down her computer.

* * *

After dinner - the best stew Barbara ever had - they changed into the bar room to have another pint at the board.

"Oh, wrong decision." Tommy whispered as he guided her with his hand in the small of her back, a touch she recently was becoming well aware of.

"Huh?"

He pointed his chin to PCSO Thwaite who was already standing there chatting with a man and facing towards them. She had spotted them before they had the slightest chance to turn to a table or a booth and waved them over to her.

"That much to our date..." he sighed.

_Sweet. _Barbara thought._ He sees this as a date. _Then:_ Well, it actually _is_ one.  
_

His hand stroked her back a little bit further down before he broke the contact. The movement had sent shivers down her spine.

"Hello Jordan. Nice to see you." she greeted the PCSO.

"Hello Barbara. Sir." Thwaite introduced her husband.

Though Barbara and Tommy would have loved to spend the rest of the day with a beer and each other (and no one else) it turned to be a nice evening.

...

* * *

Albeit it was hard to fight the urgency to get closer. He restrained himself from winding his arms around her shoulder and pared seemingly involuntary contacts down to the minimum. Barbara fought hard to not stare at him the entire evening and tried to make it look like she was just listening closely when Tommy talked.

They tried to hide their affection but probably it was obvious for everyone around that they longed to touch each other.

Anyway, most of the time PCSO Thwaite kept on talking because she had so much funny stories about the Dalesmen to tell and so the evening went by rapidly and it was time to leave the pub.

* * *

.

* * *

...


	8. Alone at last

**Alone at last**

* * *

...

* * *

"Time to leave, Sir." Barbara finished her last pint. "I'll have to get up early tomorrow."

"Sure. Let's go home." Lynley placed his empty glass on the bar. "Mr. Thwaite, Mrs. Thwaite, it was a pleasurable evening."

"Wait a second if you like, Sir. We'll come with you."

The Thwaites also had finished their last round and all four stepped out of the pub into the fresh Yorkshire air.

As chance would have it the couple had the same way home. That meant no holding hands and no kissing in the dark for Barbara and Tommy. They just innocently linked arms like Jordan and her husband did and secretly shared a knowing look when they passed the dark corner.

Only in front of their cottage they finally parted.

"See you tomorrow, Barbara. Sir."

"Good night, Jordan."

Tommy and Barbara entered the house.

* * *

Tommy opened the door and they went in. Before she was out of reach he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. He pulled her into his arms and turned them both to push her against the door.

"Alone at last." he growled.

He did not try to reach the light switch. He just wanted to kiss her. Right now. Right there. That's what he did.

His lips assaulted hers in wild desire.

It was mutual. Before her mind knew what was happening her body reacted when their lips met. Her arms threw themselves around his neck when his hands had grabbed her waist. Her hips pressed against his when he nibbled at her lower lip. She let go a light moan into his mouth when their tongues met.

Oh, how she waited for something like this. The entire evening she had imagined what might happen this night in the cottage. Wild kisses and romantic snuggling had come to her mind, her thoughts surely also had made their way to the bedroom. She had tried to forbid herself those thoughts yet she welcomed and enjoyed them. And she nervously and excitedly had looked forward to their implementation. She had waited too much for years.

However, even in her wildest dreams she never would have thought that the 8th Earl of Asherton would have it off with her against the front door.

"I want more progress!" He said low. "Here and now!"

It was some kind of husky order Barbara was more than willing to follow. She reached under his coat and fidgeted with his shirt, tucked too deep in his trousers, while he reached under her parka and gently but yet demandingly caressed her breasts through the cloth of her jumper.

She lifted her knee about an inch or two thus allowed him to step even a little closer between her legs.

Their hearts raced, their bodies were heated.

Tommy ground his hips into her lap and started to nibble at her neck.

"That's it!" he mumbled.

Barbara let her head bump onto the door.

"Oh, god..." she hissed.

* * *

.

* * *

"Who's...? HOLY CRAP!" said a voice behind him.

They jumped and immediately stopped their actions. Lynley whirled around.

"WHO'S THAT?" he shouted and then realized the silhouette of DC Nkata in the doorway to the kitchen. "Oh, hell, Nkata! What are _you_ doing here?!" His heart raced, partly from the kiss, partly from the horror the unexpectedly present constable had caused.

Barbara tried to vanish into the wood of the door behind Tommy's broad shoulders. She panted equally heavy.

"Sorry, Sir, I've tried to reach you, Sir, I was driving, Sir, the landlady met me and let me in, Sir, I didn't want to disturb you, Sir..." _And who is that woman behind you and where the hell is Barbara?!_

"Nkata!" Lynley stopped Winston's stammer.

"Sorry, Sir. I'm not here at all, Sir. Sorry..." Nkata turned to leave into the kitchen from where he so suddenly had appeared.

"Wait, Winnie!" Barbara had screwed up her courage and stepped from behind Tommy's back. Winnie would have come to know of this anyway.

"Barbara?!" Winston's voice pitched. He had not yet seen her and still thought that the DI would be snogging with someone else - what in fact had pitied him deeply for he knew of the secret crush Barbara had on her DI. He absolutely had not come to the idea that it was _her_ being kissed.

_Well, this had been definitely more than just _kissing_. Holy crap, this is going to be a funny evening._ Winston thought and glared at Barbara an intense what-is-going-on-and-congratulations-finally-look.

Tommy raked through his hair.

"Alright, we need to talk."

* * *

Barbara hid herself in the kitchen and made some tea while Tommy and Winston sat down in the living room, opposite to each other, the coffee table between them, looking everywhere but at each other.

Awkward silence filled the room when she came back with three mugs.

* * *

"So, how come you're already here?" Barbara asked sipping at her tea.

Winston told the whole story he had not been able to stammer some moments ago. He had decided to drive here this evening instead of tomorrow morning to have a full day and not to have this five-hour-drive two times a day. He had wanted to sleep on the sofa. And he had tried to reach them on their mobiles to announce himself but it always went directly to voicemail.

"No signal up there." Lynley flatly said. "I've seen the call later but you left no message and I've paid no further attention. I'd thought if it was important you'd try again. And then I forgot it."

Nkata nodded. "Exactly. I didn't leave a message 'cause I've wanted to call again. When I didn't reach you later I've wanted to text you on the next stop but I drove on without any more stops and then forgot it, too."

When he had arrived at the cottage he had knocked and was about to write a note that he would be in the Old Board Inn for a pint when the landlady passed by chance, asked who he was, had been shown his badge and handed him another key.

"I'd just dropped my bag 'n' finished eatin' a sandwich when I heard some rumblin' at the door. And there... errm... there you... were."

Winston laughed flustered.

Barbara blushed.

Tommy coughed.

"We..." they started simultaneously.

"Sorry..." they apologized in unison.

Both chuckled nervously. Winston rolled his eyes. _They act like teenagers gotten caught._ His usual cheekiness slowly came back.

"You first." Tommy said with an encouraging smile towards Barbara.

"We've discovered... umm... something between us." Barbara's face had turned deeply red and her eyes seeked for assistance from Tommy.

_Something very hot!_ Winston thought.

"We've not yet talked it over thoroughly." Tommy added without breaking eye contact with her.

_Talk? TALK?! Are you both CRAZY?!_ Winston thought. _You definitely don't need to TALK!_

"We'd decided to keep it a secret for some time."

_You had not!_ Winston saw the silent conversation between them. He was right. The decision was made only when Barbara had said it out loud.

"So, would you please keep it for yourself back at the Met, please?" Tommy now turned his eyes to Winston.

"Sure." Winston said. "Anyway, congratulations to both of you. This was about time. And I'm glad that I don't have to sleep on the sofa tonight."

He smugly grinned at the two.

* * *

.

* * *

...


	9. Thin Walls

**Thin walls**

* * *

...

* * *

Not very much later they all went to bed.

Winston got fresh linen on his bed and Tommy brought his pillow and blanket into Barbara's. This was when Winston realised (or at least he thought so) that they had not shared a bed yet. But he could not backpedal anymore - the rooms were allocated now and suggesting any changes at that point would be odd.

_Jeee... I'm pushing things. Poor Barbara._ Winston thought. _Well, but anyway that scene at the door didn't look like it was _not _mutual._

With that in mind there were some awkward moments in the corridor in front of the bathroom they all had to share. Lynley still was carrying some of his things into Barbara's bedroom when Winston went to the bathroom after Barbara.

She felt like she displayed the deepest red in the world when Winston smugly grinned at her again when he wished her a _very good night_.

"You're filthy, Winston."

"I am. Sleep well, my dearest Barbie." he winked once more.

"Oh, you shut up 'n' go brush your teeth. Lout."

Anyway she grinned at Winston when she disappeared in her room.

* * *

She nearly fell over the blanket Tommy just had brought into the room but not onto her bed. She knew that he would sleep under the duvet together with her again. The last night with him was very pleasant, not to mention this mornings episode when they unfortunately were interrupted by their ringing mobiles.

_...and now Winnie is in the other room._ she thought. _We have to be quiet._ Then she blushed at her own thoughts.

_We won't do anything like that, Barbara. Behave!_

But the thought of being heard when they would do _something like that_ was also a little exhilarating. She giggled nervously and shoved his pillow a bit more to the edge of _his_ side.

Barbara already was in bed when Tommy came from the bathroom. He slid under her duvet and cuddled in her back, placing his hand onto her hip.

"Just sleep now, Sir." she whispered although she was thrilled. "Promise."

"I promise." he whispered back but nonetheless immediately started to nuzzle at her ear. "And my name is Tommy!"

"I know that."

"Then use it."

"It's only that sometimes you need to be reminded that you have to behave. Sir."

"I'm always behaving appropriate." he breathed into her ear. "See, I've kept my hands to myself in the pub the entire time."

"Where did you keep them in the doorframe? See, that wasn't appropriate at all." Barbara smiled at the memory and unconsciously pressed her hip into his lap.

"That was _exactly_ appropriate for _exactly_ that moment." he chuckled silently onto her neck. "We were supposed to be alone. Well, we are now..."

Tommy moved a little closer and wrapped his arm around her chest, gently cupping her breast (still in her sleep top) and nibbling at her nape.

* * *

Winston laid in his bed and let the last hour roll by again. He nearly dared not to rethink of what he had witnessed at the door of the cottage. That he could hear the new couple whispering in the other bedroom was no real help for him falling asleep.

_I hope they know how thin these walls are._ he thought. _I don't want to witness..._

He could not hear exactly what they said but the gentle tone of their voices spoke volumes.

"Tommy!" Barbara finally said reproachful.

DI Lynley answered something low Winston was not sure he had even wanted to understand but it obviously was something funny, making Barbara start to giggle.

Winston turned and pulled the blanket over his head but it was not much better.

The two persons on the other side of the wall still talked silently, whispers and mumbles alternated with chuckles from Lynley and Barbara.

Winston's imagination went on a rollercoaster.

_Get your thoughts away from them, you peeper._ Winston scolded himself. _Think of reprogramming HOLMES or whatever, but stop listening, Winston!_

But he could not stop. They actually did not know how much could be heard through the walls. He visualized them lying spooned, pressed into each others body, kissing and whispering sweetnesses and fooleries, making each other chuckle. The DI's hands would be gliding over the Sergeant's hips and thighs while she would be trying to shove them away halfheartedly.

In actual fact it was exactly what went on in the other bedroom.

Winston put his head under his pillow in order to keep his ears away from the sounds but it did not prevent him from hearing the final outburst of laughter from Barbara.

He moaned in annoyance. This was getting too hot over there and in his mind. If they would not stop what Winston thought they were doing they would make more and this time very serious damage to his confidence. He thought he could not look in their eyes the other day, if ever.

The now following silence was filled with Winston's involuntarily smut imagination. In his mind they had taken off their sleep wear and churned up the sheets. His mind just was thoughtful enough to cover them with the duvet. Otherwise he would have had to get up and take a cold shower. He wondered not _if_ but _when_ he would hear them panting.

But luckily for Winston it was not as hot between them as it had become in his head.

Winston actually did not hear panting but some more whispering and it was about him because he could very clearly hear them mention his name.

_Oh, please let them get some common sense and make them mind that there is somebody who can hear them..._ Winston prayed.

Instead he heard a very manly seductive demand from the other side and was relieved when it was answered by a without a doubt grinning but firmly whispered rejection.

"No, Sir! Stop it!"

It was followed by a clearly frustrated groan from Lynley. The ensuing whispers were more silent and he did not understand a single word so finally Winston fell asleep.

* * *

.

* * *

...


	10. Case cracked

**Case cracked**

* * *

_..._

* * *

_Hmmmm, I really could get used to this._

Barbara woke up feeling his arm around her chest under her sleep top, his leg bent across hers, their thighs pressed onto each other, his body half on hers and his warm breath on the skin of her neck. She immediately felt an arousal building.

It was decidedly hot under the duvet.

She lifted her hand and turned slightly into Tommy's body to give in to the desire to stroke his back only to find his upper body naked.

_He had a shirt on when he came to bed! _With a pleasant shock and indeed a light thrill she trailed her fingertips down his spine to check if...

_Thank god, he is not fully naked. Or should I say 'what a pity'?!_ She blushed by the thought and draw back her fingers.

"Don't stop!" came a whisper from her neck.

"You're awake?"

"No..." Tommy chuckled a kiss onto her neck. " 'mornin', Havers."

" 'morn', Sir."

"Hmmm..." Tommy kissed her neck and intensified the grip of his hand on her chest right under her breast.

"What are you doin', Sir?" Barbara asked with a shaky voice.

"...kiss you..." His lips were doing magic with her. His kisses left a moist trace from her neck across her jaw and to her lips. Without any defence she let her eyes happen to shut and turned her head to meet his lips halfway.

Without a doubt both wanted to continue what had been reasonably stopped the previous evening when they were fully aware that Winston was sleeping on the other side of the wall. Now, in the sleepy state both were in right after waking up, they did not care at all about _anything_ outside the duvet.

When their tongues met in her mouth she let out a sharp gasp as his hand simultaneously cupped her naked breast.

While they were kissing ardently his thumb softly played with the hardened tip of her breast.

Barbara buried her hand in the thick hair in the back of his neck. Her other hand graced his upper arm and gently squeezed his muscles.

Their hearts were pounding fast and their breaths were going heavy when their lips parted. Tommy kissed his way back to her neck.

"Barbara..." he mumbled desperately on her skin.

"Mmmm..." she answered.

Tommy reached the spot behind her ear and she tilted her head back to give him more access.

When his lips returned to her neck he bravely left a lovebite there before he turned attention to her cleavage that was displayed more than before because the top two buttons had unfastened in the night.

Barbara in fact did not notice his lip's bold action. There were far too pleasurable things going on further down.

Their lower bodies, still clad in sleep wear, rubbed against each other slightly. His arousal pinched into her thigh and she wanted to feel him more centered, meeting her own arousal, so she pulled a little bit at his cheek bum.

In return Tommy slid his hand under her pyjama bottoms and gently massaged her little hip pad. His thumb teasing dangerously but not at all unwanted along her bikini line.

"Oh, holy..." he whispered and looked up searching her eyes, his own silently asking one single question which she answered with a barely visible nod.

* * *

BAMM! CLATTER! SPLINTER!

The couple jerked noticable and collapsed in frustrated annoyance.

Obviously Winston had had a little disaster down in the kitchen involving cutlery and tea things. With the noise he had made Tommy and Barbara were reminded that they still were not alone in the cottage and after a quick glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table Tommy decided to better cool down to get up and face the world again.

"If it goes on this way I'm definitely going to kill somebody. Or at least destroy something!" he growled.

Barbara, still somewhat away from reality and feeling strangely bold, pulled his face down to hers, gave him a gentle kiss and then pushed him away from her.

"Don't. I really would not want to arrest you, Sir." she smiled with her hand still on his cheek. "Well, let's better get ready for breakfast. I'm first in the bathroom."

She hurried off the bed to leave him cooling down without her. It would be hard enough to calm down herself.

* * *

" 'mornin', Winnie!" she greeted him in the kitchen. "What horrible accident made me wake up?"

Winston grinned smugly. "Sorry, Barb, if I had interrupted something..."

"Winston!" she warned with a blushed face and got herself a coffee.

Winston chuckled. He knew he hit the bull's eye. "Well, congratulations anyway. How long's this been goin' on?"

"For years..." Barbara answered with a deep sigh, immediately covering her mouth. She did not intend to say it loud.

Now Winston laughed. "_This_ I know, Barb. I mean this new progress between the _two_ of you. When had it become this intense? I mean, yesterday you literally..."

When Barbara looked out of the window, blushed and kept silent with a smile it dawned him.

"No!" he cried out. "In the hay barn?!"

"Exactly there..." a sheepish smile played around the corners of Barbara's lips.

"And I can tell by your looks it was all romantic! You're happy, aren't you?"

"Well..." Barbara nodded. _If we weren't interrupted _bloody always_ when..._

"I'm happy for you, Barbara. It was about time you both discovered your feelings. Believe me."

* * *

After breakfast Winston got out this new laptop computer and explained how it would work. For a test they drove up some hills - they had to drive into the other dale anyway to make a visit to those newly discovered witnesses the farmer told them of.

Without a doubt Winston placed some cheeky remarks about that old rusty Land Rover Barbara now called her own.

The new witnesses had had something very important to say and gave a piece of evidence they discovered only one day ago and the detectives were near to wrap that case up. Probably even today they could make an arrest. They still had some things to be checked in the lab but the results seemed to be clear beforehand.

Back in Hawes in their HQ they had nothing to do but to wait for the results of the lab check and Winston started to show Barbara this new add-on for the HOLMES system while Lynley paced around the office between the desk, the whiteboard and the kitchenette.

_He's eager, one can tell._ Barbara thought.

_I'm one too many in here._ Winston thought.

_When this case is done today we're alone tonight._ Tommy thought.

When Barbara and Winston had finished their IT-excursion they went to the nearby takeaway shop and had lunch. After it Winston had the grace to leave them alone for some minutes. They avoided to touch the entire morning and it had become hurting seeing them longing so much for each other.

Barbara and Tommy spent their break with a short walk to the churchyard at the entrance of the village. At that time of day they were sure to be undisturbed there. They sat on a bench under the trees and kept silent, just leaning into each other and holding hands.

"I could get used to this." Barbara said eventually and watched the sunlight spots on the gravel in front of them.

"I won't." Tommy answered keeping his eyes to the same dancing lights.

"Hmm?!"

"It's not getting boring, that is."

She tilted her head up to him and he bowed down to her with a smile mirroring hers and they shared a deep and slow kiss.

* * *

Soon the break ended and they went back to the little satellite police station where Nkata already waited with the results.

"Positive!" he cheered.

They called the uniformed for assistance and not an hour later they brought him in. The policestation where they had the opportunity to use a proper interview room was in Leyburn and it was about six in the evening when they finally returned to Hawes, having the murderer locked and the case solved, typed down and wrapped up neatly.

This would be their last evening in the Yorkshire Dales.

Nkata sensed that the two were quite aware of this fact and packed his bag in a hurry.

"Winnie?"

"Yes, Barbie?"

"Would you mind keeping this... keeping our relationship a secret?"

"I won't say a word!"

Lynley appeared in the doorframe to the kitchen. "You know, Nkata, there are some things to be sorted first and the announcement should be made public by those two who are concerned."

"Of course, Sir."

"And it had to be done, especially to Hillier, with consideration."

"As considerately as you acquainted me yesterday?" Winston laughed.

"Once again, sorry for that show." Even Lynley blushed. He opened the door for Nkata._  
_

"Never mind, Sir, actually it _was_ a show. See you later."

"Have a safe trip."

When Winston passed Barbara on his way to the door he whispered a smugly grinning "Enjoy it!"

She answered this insinuation with a playful slap on his arm.

* * *

Nkata stepped out of the cottage. The door was closed behind him immediately. He was just near enough to the cottage to witness a very girlish and very happy shriek from Barbara.

Showing a broad grin he went to his car.

* * *

...


	11. Alone at last - next try

**Author's notes:** Yes, you guessed right, I'm enjoying the teasing and I have so many possible interruptions in my mind, you wouldn't believe it *smugly grins*

* * *

.

* * *

**Alone at last - next try**

* * *

...

* * *

Tommy closed the door behind him, turned and favoured Barbara with an adoring look. "Alone at last."

Barbara felt a happy sting in her chest. "Didn't I hear that before? Oh, 'n' I don't think Winnie was distur-"

She let go a very girlish and very happy shriek when Tommy lifted her and threw her over his shoulder.

"Sir!" she cried out with laughter. "What are you doin'?!"

He carried her to the stairs and up.

"I'm taking you to my... office. We'll have a word."

"Sir, I can walk on my own, 'n' this is not the way 'to your office'. You don't _have_ any office in this house, Sir!" She slapped his bottom but laughed anyway.

"Quite the detective, huh? And it's Tommy. T-O-M-M-Y!"

"Why. Yes - why are you carryin' me this way? I-"

"As you might have calculated by how long we both know each other you could've come to the solution that I'm not the youngest anymore. If I'd carry you in my arms in front of my chest I'd probably would break my back."

"You could've let me climb the stairs on my own. Sir!"

"You probably would've started arguing at the bottom of it and get every romantic touch out of the moment."

"It's not very romantic to be picked up like this. Sir!"

They arrived in front of the bedroom they had shared the previous night with Winston sleeping in Tommy's former bedroom and he let her down on her feet.

"Here we are." he said with a low voice and smiled boyish at the little red-faced woman in front of him. She leaned against the frame and smiled up at his beloved face, a huge amount of happiness but also fear and dread sparkling in her eyes.

"Sir..."

Tommy supported himself leaning his left arm above her head and thus came very close without touching her. This alone made her silent.

"Please, Barbara, will you finally call me Tommy? It's getting absurd." he pleaded and gently stroked her cheek with his right hand, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth.

"Tommy." she whispered, blushed deeply and looked at his lips.

"That's so much nicer, ...Havers." he breathed with a smile and winked. He sensed that Barbara still felt fearful. "What are you afraid of, Barbara?"

His hand now rested in the crook between her neck and her shoulder and his thumb gently played with her earlobe and the sensitive spot behind it.

She shrugged. "Everything. I think..." Her voice trailed off.

"What?"

"Well, it's somehow awkward to be carried up the stairs and into the bedroom..."

"It's not quite the bedroom, you know, we still are in the corridor." Tommy just smiled and did not move.

Barbara looked anywhere but in his eyes. _This _is_ so awkward. Can't he just take me to... - oh my, dangerous thoughts. Stop thinking, Barbara. Why can't you just let this happen?!  
_

"I'm happy to have you with me." he whispered. "And I'm so happy about our progress."

Barbara just nodded and watched the handrail of the stairs intensely, realising that it stood absolutely still. Her hands grabbed the doorframe in her back to steady her.

"Look at me, Barbara."

She raised her eyes to his. Their bodies still were not touching.

"I want to _talk_ to you tonight." His voice was thick with desire.

Barbara knew what he meant - it had absolutely nothing to do with words. And she wanted the same, of course. _Still..._

She nodded again.

"What is it?" he asked. "We've been close to it several times before, closer even than we are now, and you weren't nervous at all..."

"Those were different situations. I'm not used to be carried up stairs 'n' let down in front of the bedroom 'n' then even to be given the choice to stop. And normally there's an unhealthy amount of alcohol... And I've never talked so much about... _talking_."

She blushed again and diverted her eyes to his chest. The steady but deep heaving of his muscles shaped by his tightly fitting T-shirt distracted her. She longed to rake her hands into his shirt and through his chest hair. She closed her eyes for some seconds.

"I actually never _had_ so much ...talking. This whole situation is uncharted territory for me and..."

Tommy waited for her to finish her sentence.

"...and you've had so much more -" Now she did not continue.

"...affairs?" he guessed.

"...experience. So _much_ more than I've had."

"It's not as much as you might think I've had and _none_ was with you." He placed his left hand on her waist.

"Well, I..."

He waited some seconds. "Well what?"

"I'm afraid I'd disappoint you, Tommy." Her voice was hardly audible.

"How could you, Barbara. Nobody disappoints anybody when..." _they love each other._ He finished his sentence in his mind. He dared not to say it yet.

"When what?"

"You've never disappointed me in _any_ way and I know you will not start just now. Believe me, Barbara." He smiled at her reassuringly and his face was on its way to kiss her when she spoke on.

"You'll never know, Sir. I'm really not very experienced in relationships. Actually I don't mean just the... bedroom things. You've seen how many - or less, that is - boyfriends I've had 'n' where I've picked them up. Y'know how long those 'affairs' lasted. I'm afraid I'd disappoint you in every way concernin' this - like you named it - _progress_. And we'd have to talk to Hillier 'n' I really don't think your family would approve. There's too much-"

"Havers?"

"What, Sir?"

"Shut up!"

He silenced every other word with his lips on hers.

* * *

...


	12. In the doorframe

**Author's notes:** Wasn't somebody asking for something like "don't let them until chapter 20"? Was that a wish or a command? :-D

* * *

.

* * *

**In the doorframe**

* * *

...

* * *

She did not object. She did not and she could not. His lips captured hers tightly.

The kiss was breathtaking so the two participants were quite pumped out when their lips parted.

Tommy nudged his nose onto Barbara's neck.

"Now, Winston is gone, the mobiles are downstairs, it's more than out of office hours, Thwaite won't dare to knock and if so... you'd have to arrest me." Tommy kissed her neck once more, then looked at her seriously.

"Nothing, I repeat: NOTHING! is going to stop me from making love to you now." he stated and made Barbara blush once more by his outspoken words. "Absolutely Nothing! Well, except you saying no, that is."

They shared a deep look, his silently asking permission, hers silently granting it. Both with nearly a decadeful of hidden affection.

He kicked the door open without breaking the kiss he then indulged her with but they kept standing in the door.

Her hands clasped his biceps to steady herself as her upper body was pushed backwards against the doorframe. His hands pulled her hips into his and her arms were wound around his neck, her hands deeply buried in his hair. Their fighting tongues changed playgrounds between his and her mouth.

Unwilling and unable to stop his hands Tommy tucked at her T-shirt - _when has her jumper disappeared?_ he thought.

His lips moved searching to her neck and behind her ear. Barbara tilted her head and started to kiss his neck in return. He gently bit her earlobe and licked it soothingly. Barbara delightedly moaned into his shoulder.

It made her whole body shiver when his hands at last came in touch with the bare skin of her waist. Once again he gently pulled her into him and grazed his fingers up the sides of her chest carrying the T-shirt with them, lifting it up until he had finally revealed her bra-covered breasts.

They stopped kissing and watched each other undressing.

When he had pulled her T-shirt over her head she had slowly unbuttoned his shirt, adoringly raked her hands through his chest hair and then softly blew her warm breath onto it while she continued unbuttoning the lower buttons of his shirt and he nuzzled in the hair on top of her head.

Tommy's knees went weak by the feeling she caused in his abdomen when she reached his waistband where she stopped and nestled at his belt. His fingertips constantly caressed her arms and shoulders which made her shiver in return, his eyes drunk in the sight of her breasts in that silky light red bra with French lace decor.

"Don't be mad at me," he whispered. "but I never would have imagined you wearing something this delicate under your ...functional clothing."

* * *

Then he bowed down to her cleavage and placed light kisses onto it.

With eyes closed Barbara let her head fall into her neck. _...and you've not yet seen the rest! _she thought bathing in his caressing touches._  
_

His hands reached behind her back and opened her bra, shoving the straps down her shoulders in one skilled movement.

In return she freed his shoulders from his unbuttoned shirt. Both parted as long as it takes to let the garments fall down at their sides.

In a sudden urge to feel his skin on hers she pressed her upper body onto his and wound her arms around his chest. Her soft breasts clung to his muscular hard chest and his chest hair gently rasped over her smooth skin. She looked up to him, expecting his lips on hers. With a low moan he fulfilled her unspoken wish, his hands stroking the full length of her bare back.

With their lips still pressed together and their tongues still entangled they opened each other's trousers, got their flat hands under the cloth and simultaneously shoved them down. With eyes closed they stepped out of the trousers which were pooling around their ankles and carelessly kicked them to the side.

They stood in front of each other with just their panties on. Desperately he covered her face with hot kisses, trailed down her neck and onto her chest again. One big strong hand fully covered her left breast with a gentle squeeze when his mouth found the hardened peak of her right.

Barbara's breathing went unsteady under his touches and even stopped when his tongue circled the tip.

"Oh dear!" she hissed. She had to steady herself again so grabbed his arms.

Tommy's hands went around her chest and down her spine again. It was his target to bury them in the garment over her bum but was positively thrilled to find her bum cheeks naked. He let the string around her waist snatch playfully and grabbed with both hands into her exposed flesh, pulling her hips flush, pressing his still boxer-clad hardness into her still G-string-clad softness.

"I never would have imagined!" he groaned into her mouth.

Their torsos were pressed together, their wanton bodies rocked around in a heated rhythm.

Lips met, mingled and parted in order to kiss, breath and moan at the same time. Their hips desperately searched friction on the other's.

"Stop!" he said, suddenly breaking the kiss, trying to catch his breath.

"What?" she whined. This should not end. They have not yet reached fulfillment, not even nearly. _He bloody can't stop now..._

"Stop." he repeated still breathless. "This is not right! We shouldn't do it..." He filled his lungs with air and looked up at the ceiling in order to regain just a little composure.

* * *

She could not believe it, she did not trust her ears. _Hadn't he said...?!_

* * *

...


	13. Absolutely nothing

**Author's note:** I'm _terribly_ sorry that you had to wait so long for this chapter. I've loved to tease with no end but the actual delay really was not what I intended. I was away for a long weekend and some more real life things kept me away from writing. Now I'm back and here is the next chapter starting with the answer to the question why on earth did Tommy say "Stop!" ...

Enjoy it!

...and leave a note! Some 130 views couldn't possibly be just search engine bots... ;-)

* * *

.

* * *

**Absolutely nothing  
**

* * *

...

* * *

He had stopped their hot interactions at the door post. He had said that it would not be right. He had said that they should not do it...

_What the hell had made him interrupt it NOW?!  
_

Barbara had and swallowed hard and had watched his chin while he had looked up to the ceiling.

* * *

"Stop!" Tommy whispered once more and bumped his forehead against hers. Still he was breathing heavily.

"...we shouldn't do it ...here! In the doorframe, like overzealous party animals..."

Then he bowed down again and caressed her lips with the whisper of a kiss.

"So?" she breathed aquiver.

"I think the bed is the proper location to dignify this special moment with you." he aspirated onto her lips.

After another slow but hot kiss Tommy scooped her up, kicked the door fully open and carried her the last few steps to the bed where he carefully laid her down and knelt on the mattress next to her.

He turned on the tiny lamp next to the bed and turned his attention back to the unreadable woman lying in front of him, her eyes wide open and shy like a timid fawn but her arms splayed leisurely on the sheets above her head, displaying her body in the surrender to be loved.

Barbara had no idea what she did to Tommy with this innocent posture and she felt a little embarrassed feeling his eyes admire every inch of her exposed skin. But it was not for long because soon he lowered his face down to hers and kissed her. Softly first but then, when she threw her arms around his neck and opened her lips to him, his kiss turned into a wild play with her tongue. His hands, clenched to fists, pierced into the soft mattress supporting Tommy's weight and Barbara's effort to pull him down to her.

She broke the kiss.

"Sir!"

"What?"

Both breathed heavily.

"Would you please be so kind 'n' take the trouble to come down to me?" she rasped, annoyed that he kept himself away.

"...beg your pardon?" he smiled and still stayed away those last inches. His dark brown eyes lost themselves in the green pools in front of him.

The distance and the look both made her even want it deeper.

"I want to feel your skin on mine." she whispered and blushed slightly.

"Is that so?" he still smiled, his eyes showing his need to touch her. He tortured himself by not giving in to his own need to feel her skin on his. "And _I_ want to hear you calling me Tommy!"

"Later. You said nothin' would stop you now from..." her voice trailed off.

"...from?" He knew what he had said. He wanted to hear it from Barbara.

She closed her eyes and blushed again.

"...from making love to me." Tommy nearly could not hear her.

"Strictly speaking I said _absolutely_ nothing!"

"Oh, shut up..." her voice became even huskier with the last bold words. "...and come down to me. Now!"

Tommy lowered his face again, still holding his chest at a distance.

"One doesn't need to wrap around the other for making love." he mumbled between tender kisses on her neck and shoulder.

"But I want -" shocked about herself Barbara stopped and looked with big eyes into Tommy's face that again was some inches away from hers.

"What?" he croaked.

"I... I _want_ to be wrapped around you and I _want_ to wrap myself around you." she whispered with a shaky voice reflecting her uncertainty about her unfamiliar wantonness.

"Though I really love to hear this from you I think that we're talking too much." Tommy kissed her lips. "We're not really romantic, are we."

"I - " His lips sealed hers and finally they kept silent.

* * *

She immediately opened her mouth and Tommy needed no second invitation to let his tongue enter. Kissing Barbara wildly he let himself down on one of his elbows.

The slightest touch of his chest hairs on the tip of her breast made Barbara raise her chest against his.

By her sharp movement he fell on his side and pulled her with him where they wrapped their arms around each other, pressing their chests at each other, leaving red pressure marks on each other's skin, still kissing each other wildly and with a desperate need neither of them had expected.

Partly being pushed and partly on his own will Tommy fully turned onto his back.

Barbara now laid on his chest, her tongue was still passionately fighting back and and forth with his. She still needed more contact and raised one leg over his, halfway straddled Tommy, then moved up and heaved herself onto him fully.

Tommy was not aware that she acted as bold as she never had acted before. Neither was Barbara. She simply let her body do the things it needed to do. It was at his pleasure. And hers.

She felt him moving between her legs and moaned into his mouth. Her lower body reacted with a warm and tingling sensation Barbara wanted more of.

His hands caressed her back while his hips moved against hers. Then he grabbed her soft hip pads and pulled her down on him.

"Oh, hell..." she groaned into his mouth again.

Their breathing mingled. Their lips were merely touching now that their focus was on the lower parts of their bodies. He could feel her wetness and his first drops soaking through the cloth of their underwear.

Barbara now shamelessly rubbed herself onto Tommy's hard proof of arousal.

She started to kiss his jawline and then his neck.

Needing to slow things down he pushed her away and on her back again and laid down at her side. His strong arms pinned her onto the mattress.

"No..." she softly whimpered.

"Yes!" he gently breathed on her neck. His hands stroked her shoulder and her cleavage, his fingertips outlined the swell of her breasts, leaving a heat on her skin that made her arch against his hand, pressing her breast into his palms.

His lips favoured every square inch of her chest with light kisses that were too soft to raise her temperature but still too hot to let Barbara cool down completely.

She could not keep her eyes open so she closed them with a sigh.

Hearing this Tommy grinned onto her belly button and placed his tongue inside it.

* * *

First he felt it with his caressingly wandering fingertips and then he let his lips follow onto the hard skin of the big scar right next to the center of her belly. His gentle touches seemed to erase all the memories of pain that had come with it once after she had been shot. Tommy had never seen or imagined how huge a wound it must have been.

"I've always wanted to soothe you this way." he whispered onto the remnants of the nearly fatal wound.

Barbara opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"But you -"

"Always." Tommy breathed onto the seam and repeated even lower "Always."

She let her head fall onto the pillow again, closed her eyes and caressed the back of his head. She understood the meaning behind this single word.

More than she had known and more than she would have imagined he had cared for her _for years_.

* * *

His lips finally left the scar and placed a moist trace to the waistband of her G-string. With his teeth he lifted it and playfully let it snap back again an inch lower. He repeated it with a broad grin.

Finally her dark curls came into sight and he tickled them with his nose.

Barbara sharply inhaled. The feeling of his breath, the knowledge of his face, his lips, so near to her aching wetness sent a thrill of anticipation through her whole body. She could hardly breathe.

Tommy breathed all the more. Her scent made his head twirl. He could have played that game with the waistband for some more times but he wanted to bury himself into her heady scented heart between her thighs so he finally pulled her lacy tanga down her legs with his hands, following the edge of it with his lips and leaving a wet trace down to her knee with his tongue.

Tommy was agonizingly slow on his lips' way down her thighs. Barbara had to compensate the urge to make him hurry by crumple up the linen.

Her heart danced the jig.

* * *

KABOOM

* * *

Both startled and froze in their moves.

Suddenly a flash, followed straight by a loud thunder, had lit up the room.

* * *

...


	14. Thunderstorm

**Thunderstorm**

* * *

...

* * *

The forecasted thunderstorm finally had arrived in the Dales village Hawes.

Another lightning with an even louder thunder brought the couple back into gear.

* * *

Tommy grinned.

"That's the appropriate soundtrack!" he groaned, got rid of his own boxers and threw them carelessly where seconds before her G-string had landed on the floor.

His hands firmly caressed her thighs while he watched her shifting her hips. With a light pressure he pushed them apart and knelt down between her now spread legs.

Barbara did not know what to do next, what to say, how to move, where to look, what to grab with her hands. She had become nervous feeling his eyes on her naked body, feeling invitingly displayed so she kept her own eyes closed. She felt exposed, which she was, and could not decide if she loved this defenceless position or if it should frighten her. After all she trusted him with her life. She trusted the man kneeling there, watching her, adoring her, in the end making her wanting more than just his eyes on her body.

"Do something!" she finally managed to whisper hoarsely, her body suddenly shining pale in the light of another flash.

"Your wish is my command, m'lady!" he chuckled onto her knee, drowning out the following thunder, and with his hands moving around her hips to her behind his lips wandered higher on the inner side of her thigh.

He carefully circled her danger zone and when his strong hands finally reached her bum cheeks his lips and his tongue moistened the area between her belly button and her pubic mound.

"Please kiss me!" she asked.

She wanted him to skid across her, to cover her with his body, to kiss her lips, to play with her tongue. But he stayed down there.

He just wanted to kiss her deep down and caress her wet center with his tongue.

"Oh, yes..." he breathed his answer across her curls and lowered his lips to his target.

Barbara uttered a short and amazed cry of pleasure.

"Nobody ever..." She moaned again when his nose hit her little knob.

"So 't was 'bout time!" He answered low and licked her most private parts with relish. Her lower muscles involuntarily twitched. This was sweet and torture.

"Don't!" she begged. She was slightly embarrassed and wanted him _the normal way _though his lustful caresses were bewitching. Barbara felt a pleasurable cramp building up in her innermost muscles.

The tiny bedside lamp suddenly went off but then a lightning lit up the room.

"Hmmm!" Tommy just grinned and moved one hand from her back to her front. He also felt the rising tension between her legs and increased it by hovering the tips of his fingers in little circles all the way from her inner thigh to her center. Then he gently pressed onto the soft flesh around her entrance.

At some point it finally dawned her what his mission was.

"You won't! Please!"

"I will!"

"No, you... oh GOD!"

A heavy rain started to batter against the windows.

Barbara could hardly keep her hips still. Her fingers grabbed into the back of his head when his lips gently tortured her pink button and when his finger entered her softly and repeatedly she cried out in pleasure. "Tommy, don't! Oh, yes! Bloody hell, NO!"

Once more she moaned out loud when his finger gently curled inside her and her muscles contracted around it.

"This was a fast one." Tommy breathed onto her curls.

"Leave it!" she whispered desperately. "Please!"

Then she moaned again when his fingers finally left her after having given her a little bit of the needed relief. But this was not exactly what she wanted. Though she absolutely could still use more of that. She wanted him inside her. She wanted to feel him on top of her. She wanted him to feel her around him.

She wanted him to join her.

* * *

Tommy had pushed her tension at a high level. He kept it there.

Feeling his flat hands move over the sides of her hips and his lips hovering light as a feather across her belly Barbara cried out in frustration.

"Gosh! Tommy! Now!"

An extraordinarily loud thunder followed and emphasised her demand.

Reaching the undersides of her breasts with his lips Tommy hummed. "You're a devil, woman."

Glowing heat on the delicate skin around her nipples welcomed his lips. He softly sucked and left them wet, his breaths cooling them and making them harden even more.

Barbara squirmed under his tenderness. He still was not giving her what she wanted, what she needed right then. Tommy savoured every second his fingers touched her body. He tasted her skin. He still had the scent of her most private parts in her nose. Her salty sweat mixed with the rich taste of her previous little orgasm on his tongue.

His lips felt the blood rushing through her carotid artery when he all but breathed a kiss on her neck. His own heart was beating furious.

A long-lasting lightning accompanied the first touch of their bare abdomens when Tommy finally lowered his body onto hers.

Their eyes glew in the lit up room. Both stared at each other. Both reflected the other one's desire. Both bathed in the mirroring bliss.

He hesitated and looked quizzically down to her. She nodded.

"I trust you!" she breathed.

"I trust you!" he breathed.

Both consentedly moved against each other in a unison aim to let their yearslong mental connection be followed by an unbounded physical fusion.

* * *

Barbara bent her knees up, giving him more access. She slanted her hip, moving her wet center up to him.

Tommy propped his upper body onto his stretched arms. He raised his hip and lowering it again he finally slid into her.

Their eyes were still connected too.

As long as the next thunder roared they held still, adjusting, glorying in the moment of which there is only a single one in all times.

In the thunderstorm's silence and darkness they simultaneously started to move with and against each other.

"Oh, my... Barbara..." Tommy sighed while he thrusted gently in and out.

Their panting gave the increasing beat for the melody the raindrops and their colliding bodies created.

Electricity sizzled in the air on both sides of the cottage walls. A damp heat filled the room. They were sweating.

Barbara's hands grabbed restlessly over his back and around his tensed biceps. She gently stroked the rhythmically straining chest muscles. She massaged his trapezius. She tilted her head backwards and moaned when he kissed her throat.

Tommy felt her moan with his lips. He felt her restless hands. He felt her lustful lap pressing into his greedy groin repeatedly. He felt her wet folds teasingly on the tip of his arousal. He felt her wetness surrounding his full length. Again and again, thrust by thrust, fast and faster.

They heard each other's pantings turning into soft moans and their soft moans turning into evenly unsteady groans.

The kisses they exchanged were intensely hot and feathery cool.

Tommy slid one hand behind her back and under her bum. He bowed his body and kissed her breasts.

"Oh hell..." he murmured onto her skin.

"Tommy!" she whimpered. "I... I couldn't..."

He sealed her mouth with a feverish kiss and grasped her bum cheek firmly. He thrusted deep into her.

"...no longer..." she panted heavily and arched into him when at the same time a shudder went through his body and he thrusted one more time - deep, hard, releasing.

All muscles were constricted. His supporting hand was clenched into a fist. Her fingernails scratched the back of his shoulders when a flash accentuated orgasm exploded through her body. She pushed her hip into his lap - flush, tight, receiving.

The sky thundered a roar. With her orgasmic outburst she pushed him once more and a second even higher wave of pleasure washed over them coincidently and both cried out each other's names in unison.

"Barbara!" Tommy growled. "Oh, yes!"

"Oh, god! Tom!" Barbara cried out.

* * *

Spent, exhausted, weary and deeply satisfied at last they collapsed.

"Bloody hell!" Barbara moaned.

"Mmm... heaven!" Tommy sighed.

The sound of raindrops on the window pane and the now audibly howling storm gave the cooling background for their quenching minds and bodies. Slowly they calmed down. They shared a few tender kisses, exchanged some gentle touchings, breathed weak lips against the other.

Eventually Tommy rolled off and Barbara turned onto her side, cuddling her back into his chest, feeling the warm wetness between her legs.

Still they laid on top of the bed covers. Totally knackered they soon fell into sleep.

* * *

It was just a short nap.

The thunderstorm was over. Literally.

The electrical power returned and the bedstand lamp lit up again and made Barbara wake up. Tommy had spread a blanket over them and sleepily caressed her belly with his fingertips and her ear with his nose.

"The power has returned." she said.

"It has." he agreed and increased the pressure of his body against hers. Both felt another upcoming arousal.

She giggled and blushed. He could sense the heat on her neck.

"Look, did you see this before?" she suddenly whispered. "There are candles and some sweeties."

Barbara reached for the folded note with Winston's handwriting on it.

It said:

* * *

_Some sweets and a romantic illumination  
as an apology for my interruption._  
_Have a pleasant night.  
Best wishes - W._

* * *

"He's cute! And cheeky!" Barbara smiled, took a piece of fudge and offered it toTommy.

He had his head ear to ear above hers and took not only the sweet but also her fingers in his mouth. He gently sucked at them.

"Hmmmm." he hummed. "Delicious." he breathed into her ear.

To return the favour he also took a piece of fudge. "And the evening's natural illumination indeed was romantically matching."

He held the sweet to Barbara's lips. She steadied his hands with her fingers and took a bite.

"You have to take the whole thing!" Tommy croaked and Barbara angled for the other half with her tongue, licking lasciviously at his fingers.

"Truly delicious." She still caressed his hand. Then she inhaled.

"Sir, tomorrow, before we return home, we still have to sort some things between us."

"You mean, we still have to... talk... _Havers_?" he chuckled.

"I do. Sir." she smiled.

"Honestly I have never talked that much while making love to a beautiful woman." He placed some kisses on her bare shoulder so she closed her eyes.

"Honestly I haven't talked _at all_ while making love to someone." Barbara answered. Then she blushed feeling his hard arousal in her back.

"Am I just someone?" he mocked her.

"You're not! You know this!" Barbara answered. "You are... well... a very handsome man that happens to be my working partner and I... I think I could choose you to be my lover, Sir."

She chuckled and closed her eyes. She felt extraordinarily well right there, right then, generally.

"Oh, shut up, Havers!" Tommy squeezed her hip.

"Don't be rude, Sir!"

"I'm not! But you're talking too much. You know what? I will love you speechless, Barbara." he whispered onto the sensitive spot behind her ear and pressed his length between her bum cheeks. "This is going to be a long night."

* * *

...

* * *

**Author's note:** Sorry, but I couldn't wait until chapter 20 :-D


	15. King Pleasure

**Author's note:** This chapter is written in some kind of haste so please excuse mistakes. I'm getting ready for my holiday where I won't have the time nor the energy to write though this is probably the last HayBarn chapter anyway. And I will have no internet access there. _And_ I will have to communicate in french, mon dieu... À bientôt! ;-)

* * *

In this chapter are some song lyrics. Notes to it are at the end of this page.

* * *

King Pleasure

* * *

...

* * *

The next morning was bright and sunny. The night's thunderstorm seemed to have rumbled away all the nasty weather of the previous days. The other thunderstorm, that one that happened to whirl inside of the bedroom this night, had left two persons totally exhausted, deeply satisfied and very, very tired.

They woke up only when the sun finally came around the corner of the house and peeped through the window at about ten o'clock. The sunbeams fell right onto their faces.

Barbara found herself lying on her side and entangled with Tommy's arms and legs. They cuddled nearly transversely to the bed, lying on a sticky bedsheet, covered with a still damp duvet, the pillows and their panties spread all over the room around the bed. They really had far too little time spent with proper sleep.

Barbara felt the chuffed weariness that had absorbed her whole body and wondered if she ever again get rid of that pleasant soreness between her legs.

Tommy felt similarly worn down. He rolled on his back and off from under the duvet which was somehow jammed under Barbara. He yawned.

"I think I'm getting too old for _quantity_ time." he chuckled while he stretched himself. He was shamelessly lying naked next to Barbara who still was under the duvet, not moving any muscles, watching Tommy through half open eyes.

"It was _you_ who had to wake me up in the middle of the night, Sir." she smiled, amazed at herself for being absolutely not embarrassed about their current situation. "See, old man? It was all your own fault."

Tommy grinned when he remembered her sleepy state around midnight, her contentedness when he had kissed and caressed her naked body until she was fully awake again, aroused all over, more than ready for their third round - or was it the fourth? This memory alone let something stir in his groin.

"I'm gonna show you this old man..." he growled and turned to her again.

"Oh, no no no..." Barbara quickly unwrapped herself from the duvet and escaped into the bathroom.

* * *

After both had showered, seperately for reasons, they tidied up the bedroom a bit and collected their things.

The plan had been to get back to London very much earlier to stop by at the Met but neither of them was disappointed that something had cropped up this night and they had slept in again. Lynley phoned Nkata and told him that they would return to the office on the next day.

"...because there had been some difficulties throughout the night when the thunderstorm turned down the electricity."

_"U-hu..."_ Lynley could hear Nkata's smirk on the other side of the line.

"And additionally some main roads are affected. Disrooted trees, you know, some washed-out asphalt."

_"I can imagine, Sir." _This time Nkata did not even try to suppress his chuckles._  
_

"Would you mind telling it to the Chief Super?"

_"Consider it done, Sir."_

"Thank you, Winston."

_"You're welcome, Sir. And my best wishes to Barbara."_

"Cheeky sod, he is." Tommy said to Barbara after disconnecting.

* * *

Barbara's broken car would be left in the garage and she would drive home in her newly bought old and rusty Land Rover. After returning the cottage keys to the landlady both stood in the car park, ready to head home.

"Will you come over to me tonight?" Tommy asked pleadingly. He very much disliked that they would even be seperated for the five hour journey home.

"Probably not, Sir." Barbara looked at her feet. "Need to look after my own home. 't was 'bout two weeks I've been away. Need to water the flowers and stuff."

"I understand, _Havers_." Tommy chuckled. "And what about _my_ needs? I also need to be looked after..."

He stepped closer to Barbara who still was looking to the ground.

"Honestly I need some time for myself." Barbara admitted, lifting her head to look in his eyes. "To... think about all this..."

"I understand that. Though I'd prefer you'd be thinking it with me. Fancy dinner with me before you think?"

"No. I'd prefer getting home, into my tub and into my bed - ALONE, Sir! And get your hands off my hips, you-"

Tommy had stepped closer and now kissed all further words away. Barbara was slightly taken aback that he did it openly but on the other hand the people in Hawes were strangers anyway and their testimony to those endearments would stay in the Dales. So she threw her arms around his neck and properly kissed him back.

"Can I bring you breakfast tomorrow morning?" Tommy breathlessly asked still holding Barbara in his arms.

"We'll meet at the Yard, Sir."

"Tommy!" he grinned. "You really should call me Tommy after what you've let me relish tonight, don't you agree?"

"Yes, _Sir_." she grinned back at him, slightly crimson remembering the night.

They shared another gentle kiss before they parted and got to their cars.

"Drive careful."

"You too."

* * *

Soon after leaving the narrow roads of the Yorkshire Dales and driving on the M6 south bound Tommy's dark red Bristol was out of sight.

Barbara turned on her radio. Unlike usual she chose a station playing some soft tunes. A little background jazz that wouldn't disturb her thoughts.

The last tunes of a soft swingy song faded and the DJ spoke.

_"Now, that was the right tune for this bright day, don't you agree? Seems some summerdays will return this late September and I hope you out there will have someone to hold and to love. As for myself, I'm with King Pleasure - I'm in the mood for love. Enjoy it."_

Barbara smiled. Yes she was in this mood too.

So was Tommy. He was regularly listening to this nationwide station and did not have to change to it on his radio. He was listening to the same song Barbara heard.

There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go. Pretty baby, you are the soul who snaps my control...

_She is._ Tommy thought.

...such a funny thing but every time you're near me I never can behave...

_Well, hopefully he _can_ when we're at the Yard._ Barbara thought.

...you give me a smile and then I'm wrapped up in your magic...

_Oh yes..._ Tommy smiled. _Barbara _does_ magic to me._

...there's music all around me, crazy music, music that keeps calling me so very close to you, turns me your slave.  
Come and do with me any little thing you want to, anything baby, just let me get next to you...

Any_ little thing._ Barbara felt a tickle in her abdomen and already regretted her decision to spend the night alone in her flat and not next to Tommy. With a glance at the clock she realized that at this speed she would drive for at least three more hours.

...am I insane...

"I _am_." he said to the speakers and grinned.

"Seems so." she laughed out of the front window.

...or do I really see heaven in your eyes?  
Bright as stars that shine up above you in the clear blue skies...

Dreamily she remembered the night in the hay barn when they stared into each other's eyes lit by the moonshine right before their first kiss.

...how I worry 'bout you just can't live my life without you, Baby, come here, don't have no fear...

_...and no concerns about not being peer!_ Tommy sighed.

...Oh, is there a wonder why I'm really feeling in the mood for love?...

[miss you!] she texted him boldly.

...So tell me why stop to think about this weather, my dear? This little dream might fade away.  
There I go talking out of my head again, oh baby, won't you come and put our two hearts together?...

[din+breakf at mine] he texted back.

...That would make me strong and brave. Oh when we are one, I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid.  
If there's a cloud up above us go on and let it rain. I'm sure our love together will endure a hurricane...

The memory of the previous night's hurricane made Barbara blush again.

...Oh my baby, won't you please let me love you and give a relief from this awful misery?...

She had not yet answered his invitation.

[got a spare room] Tommy chuckled while writing it.

...What is all this talk about loving me, my sweet?  
I am not afraid, not anymore, not like before, can't you understand me?...

_I'm really not very much afraid anymore 'bout this all._ Barbara thought amazed.

...now baby, please pull yourself together, do it soon.  
My soul's on fire, come on and take me, I'll be what you make me, my darling, my sweet...

_Spare room!_ she thought. _Hardly Likely!_ Her decision was made, the dry flowers in her flat could wait another day.

[bollocks] she answered his message.

...Oh baby, you make me feel so good!...

Tommy rejoiced inwardly about her answer and started to fantasize about the oncoming evening.

...Let me take you by the hand! Come let us visit out there in that new promised land.  
Maybe there we can find a good place to use a loving state of mind...

_The cliffs of Cornwall!_ she thought and imagined them there.

...I'm so tired of being without and never knowing what love's about...

[stop after blythe] he texted her.

...James Moody, you can come on in man and you can blow now if you want to - we're through.

* * *

Some minutes after the song had ended Barbara arrived at the lay-by shortly after crossing the River Blythe. Tommy already waited there leaning leasurely at his car, his arms folded in front of his chest, his legs crossed.

_Rascal boy!_ she thought smiling and enjoyed the view of him. She got out of her car and approached him. He came her way with a broad grin and opened his arms to her.

"I would definitely _not_ have survived the entire journey without a kiss from you."

* * *

.

* * *

**Author's note: **Yes I know - don't fidget with your mobile when you drive! And yes, I also know that it would need more time to text, send and receive but this is _fiction_ and it fitted with the lyrics. Basta! ;-)

* * *

**Author's note to the song:** The forementioned song 'I'm In The Mood For Love' does not belong to me! It's performed by King Pleasure, it's written by (as far as I know) Robert Sour, Johnny Green and Edward Heyman


End file.
